One of the most entertaining games at any casino is craps. The only problem with the game is that while it is so entertaining, many people never give it a chance because it seems that there is far too much that goes into this dice game. All the commotion surrounding the table doesn’t help welcome newcomers either, but it should. Craps can be a very rewarding game if you take the time to learn about it before running up to the table for the first time.

The "Come Out"

The beginning of every player’s turn is called the Come Out roll. The turn order is a clockwise rotation the entire game. Each roll involves two dice and is usually shot, or rolled, with one hand. This is also the time when you would place your bet, but where? There are multiple ways to bet at craps, but let’s just worry with the basic areas right now.

Pass Line Bet

Betting on the Pass Line area of the table means that you will win if the come out roll is a “Natural” 7 or 11, but you will lose if Craps come up, which is 2, 3 or 12. If any other number is rolled then that becomes the point. This number must be rolled again in order to win the turn. If a 7 is rolled then the Pass Line bet does not win.

Don’t Pass Line Bet

This is a reversal of the Pass Line bet. You are shooting for a 2 or 3 to win this turn. If a 12 is rolled then it results in a draw. This is done to ensure that there is a house edge regardless of whether a player is betting Pass or Don’t Pass. If a point is established, a 7 must be rolled in order to win the Don’t Pass Line bet.

Come Bets

These bets are made after the point has been established for this game. Players win on Natural and lose on Craps. If a point is rolled, then your wager is moved to the corresponding number and the only way for you to win is if that number comes out before 7.

Don’t Come Bets

Opposite of the Come bet, you will lose if the roll is a 7 or 11. If the roll turns up as 2 or 3 then you win. Just like Don’t Pass Line, rolling a 12 will result in a draw.

Once you have the basics of the game down, it is easy to get drawn into the commotion of the table. Betting on a single number is simply not worth it. While this will pay off much better than a Field bet, you have a much greater chance of your number not coming up. Even if you are only winning 1:1, it’s still better than not at all. Sticking to above mentioned areas of the craps table will help you see exactly what all the commotion is at the craps table.